Traveling crane



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J. MOGOY. TRAVELING CRANE. No. 546,426. Patented Sept. 17, 895.

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J. MCCOY. TRAVELING CRANE.

Patented Sept. 17,1895.

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TRAVELING CRANE. No. 546,426. Patented Sept. 17, 1895.

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4 SheetsSheet 4v J. McGOY. I TRAVELING CRANE.

No. 546,426. 4 Patented Sept. 17, 1895.

/*--- 7 f a? C4! a fill Z GIL? T T :2 wboz Witmooao .2 c \v 4W@%M% m i IUnrrnn STATES JAMES MCCOY, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

TRAVELING CRANE.

SPECIFICATION forming" part of Letters Patent No. 546,426, datedSeptember 17,1895.-

Application filed March 18, 1895.

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, JAMES MCCOY, a citizen of the United States,residing at Baltimore, in the State of Maryland, have invented certainnew and useful Improvements in Travcling Cranes; and I do hereby declarethe following to be a full, clear, and exact description oftheinvention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same.

My invention consists in the novel features of construction andcombination of parts. hereinafter fully described, reference being hadto the accompanying drawings, which illustrate one form in which I havecontemplated embodying my invention, and said invention is fullydisclosed in the following description and claims.

Referring to the said drawings, Figure 1 represents an elevation of myimproved crane, partly in section. Fig. 2 represents an end view of thesame, parts being broken away. Fig. 3 represents a top plan view of aportion of the machine slightly enlarged. Fig. 4 is a detail rear Viewof an ice-holding can, showing the bail and tilting support. Fig. 5 is aside view of the same. Figs. 6 and 7 are views similar to Figs. 4 and 5,showinga slightlymodified form of can and tilting support. Fig. 8 is adetail perspective view of one of the elevating-sprockets andelevating-chain.

The object of my invention is to provide a crane for harvesting ice inice-plants by the use of which a large number of ice-cans may be liftedout of the freezing-vat simultane' ously, carried to the dumping'place,emptied, and returned to their normal positions, thus greatlyfacilitating the progress of har vesting and cheapening the cost ofmaking ice. It willbe obvious, however, that my improved crane can beused for any other-purpose for which it will be convenient or desirable.

In the drawings, A A represent elevated tracks or rails supported,preferably, along opposite sides of the freezing-room of an iceplant ata convenient or desirable distance above thcjvat. Upon these rails themain frame of the crane is supported, the said frame comprising a truckBat each end of the same, supported by grooved wheelsb b, which rest uponthe elevated track A, the said Serial No. 542,220. (No model.)

trucks being connected by the main supporting-trusses B B'of the cranein any usual or preferred manner.

Supported by the main frame is the elevating-shaft (3, which extendslongitudinally of the frame and is provided at suitable intervals withdouble sprocket-wheels c 0, over which pass broad elevatingsprocketchains G O, as shown in Fig.1, 2, 3, and 8. Ipre fer to employ avery broad sprocket-chain, as shown, and to use a double sprocket-wheel,as shown best in Fig. 8, which consists of two heavy sprockets securedto the shaft and to each other at such a distance apart that therecesses between their teeth will engage the cross-rods of the chainadjacent to the side plates of the links, thus giving great strength anddurability and at the same time making it impossible for the chain totwist as it depends from the sprocket. In Fig. I for want of space Ihave shown acrane provided with five of these elevating-chains; but itis obvious that any desired number may be employed, and ordinarily theywill be built with a larger number than is herein shown.

At one end the liftingshaft C is provided with a suitable elevatingmechanism, which may be operated by a steam-engine carried upon thecrane or by an electric motor or by hand, as preferred. In this instanceI have shown a hand-power mechanism, which con sists of a worm-wheel Oon the lifting-shaft O, which is engaged by a worm 03 on a wormshaft D,which is also provided with a grooved driving-pulley D, over whichpasses an endless drive-chain D which depends to a point where it can bereached by the operator.

I also provide the crane with a suitable power mechanism for moving italong the rails A A in either direction. This mechanism may also beoperated by steam-power, electric power, or hand-power carried by thecrane, and I have shown in this instance a handpower mechanism for thepurpose. The shaft of one of the supporting-rollers of each truck inline with each other is produced beyond the frame of the truck on theinner side of the same and provided with a driving-gear I). These gearsb b are in mesh with driving-pinions e e on a driving-shaft I extendingfrom one truck to the other, the said driving-shaft being also providedwith a grooved drivingpulley E and a driving-chain E, which de pends toa position within convenient reach of the operator.

Each of the lifting-chains O is provided at one end with a bail C havingits arms provided with books (1* for engaging trunnions ff, whichproject from opposite sides of each of the freezing-cans F, adjacent toits upper edge above its center of gravity. I also provide means fordumping the cans while they are supported by the crane. To this end Iprovide a number of sliding horizontal bars G G, mounted in suitableguides upon the top of the main frame of the crane, one directly overeach of the lifting chains, as shown' -in Figs. 1 and From each of thesebars depends what I term a tilting support, which in this instanceconsists of two parallel rods G G, having their lower ends bent into theform of a hook G as shown best in Figs. 1 and 2. I prefer to form eachof these devices of two rods connected at suitable points throughouttheir length to prevent the possibility of their twisting laterally.Upon the main frame of the crane, preferably somewhat below the plane ofthe sliding bars G G, I provide arock-shaft II, extending longitudinallyof the frame of the crane and provided with a series of arms 71,connected by links h or in any other suitable manner with the slidingbars G G. I also provide the rock-shaft II with an operating-lever II,extending downwardly to a point within reach of the operator. 13yreference to Fig. 2 it will be seen that by moving the lever H in onedirection or the other all the tilting supports will be movedsimultaneously toward or from the lifting-chains. Each of thefreezing-cans is provided with devices adapted to be engaged by the saidtilting supports.

In Figs. 2, 4, and 5 I have shown one form of can in which a do mpingprojection or trunnion f f is provided on each side adjacent to one ofits lower edges below and to one side of the center of gravity of thecan. In this case the lower ends of the parallel rods G, forming thetilting support, will be spread apart, as shown in Figs. 1 and 4, so asto allow the hook portions G2 to engage the (lumping projectionsff.

In Figs. 6 and 7 I have shown a slightlymodiiied form of can F, in whicha recess f is formed in the can at one of its lower edges, and ahorizontal dumping-barf or projection is provided within this recess. Inthis case the ends of the rods G G will be brought down parallelthroughout their length and the hooked portion G will be adapted toenter the recess f and engage the bar or projection f as shown in thesefigures. In this construction there are no projections around the lowerpart of the cans.

The operation of my improved crane is as follows: The cans will bearranged side by side in rows in the freezing-vat, as is customary, therows running parallel with the longitudinal framework of the crane. Thecrane will then be moved by means of its propelling mechanism to aposition which will bring the bails 0 above and slightly in rear of thetrunnions of one row of cans, there being preferably as manylifting-chains as there are cans in the row. The lifting mechanism willthen be operated to lower the bails into position to engage thetrunnions of the cans, and the crane will then be propelled so as tobring the hooks C of all the bails into engagement with the trunnions ofthe cans. The lifting mechanism will then be operated and all the cansin the row will be simultaneously ele vated until their dumpingprojections are slightly above the hooked portions of the tilt ingsupports, asshown in Fig. 2 in full lines. The crane is then moved byits propelling mechanism to the end of the room or wherever thedumping-point is located, and when the crane has reached this point theoperator will move the lever H so as to bring the tilting supportssimultaneously into engagement with the dumping projections of all thecans, as illustrated in dotted lines in Fig. 2. The lifting mechanismwill then be operated to lower all the cans, and they will all be tiltedupon their dumping projections as pivots until they occupy the positionshown in dotted lines, Fig. 2, when the ice can be released by sprayingwarm water over the cans or in any other desired way. As soon as the icehas been discharged from the cans the cans will be lifted into theposition shown in fulllines in Fig. 2. The tilting supports will bethrown out of operative position by a movement of the lever H. The craneis then moved back to a position above the places occupied by the cansoriginally, the empty cans are lowered into their places, the cranemoved backward slightly to disengage the bails, and the next row of cansis then lifted out and emptied in the same manner. If for any reason itis desired not to liftacertain can or cans in a row. this can beaccomplished by simply fastening the bail or bails in line with such canor cans up against their chains, so that they will not engage the cans.

It will be seen that by the use of my improved crane a single operatorcan do the work of many, the cans can be readilyand quickly removed,emptied, and replaced, and the pro-- cess of making ice considerablycheapened and facilitated.

'YVhat I claim, and desire to secure by liet ters Patent, is-

1. The combination,with lifting devices provided with means for engaginga receptacle to be lifted, above its center of gravity, of a tiltingsupport provided with means for engaging said receptacle below itscenter of gravity and supporting the same, whereby said receptacle willbe tilted by lowering it into engagement with the tilting support,substantially as described.

2. The combination with lifting devices provided with means for engaginga receptacle to be lifted, above its center of gravity, of a tilt- IIOing support provided with means for engaging said receptacle below itscenter of gravity and supporting the same, and means for moving saidtilting support into and out of position to be engaged by saidreceptacle, substantially as described.

3. In a traveling crane, the combination, with multiple lifting deviceseach provided with means for engaging a receptacle above its center ofgravity, of a tilting support for each as said lifting devices, eachprovided with means for engaging said receptacle below its center ofgravity and means for mov ing said supports simultaneously into and outof position to be engaged by said receptacles, substantially asdescribed.

41. In a traveling crane, the combination, with lifting devices, of areceptacle having devices above its center of gravity adapted to beengaged by said lifting devices, a tilting support movable toward andfrom the lifting devices, and devices connected with said receptaclebelow its center of gravity adapted to engage said tilting support,substantially as described.

5. In a traveling crane, the combination with the multiple liftingdevices, of a series of receptacles each having devices above its centerof gravity for engaging the lifting devices and a dumping projectionbelow its center of gravity, a series of slidable bars, tilting supportscarried by said bars and having devices for engaging the dumpingprojections on said receptacles, and a shifting device for moving all ofsaid bars and tilting supports into and out of position to be engaged bysaid dumping devices, substantially as described.

6. In a traveling crane, the combination with the multiple liftingdevices, of a series of receptacles each provided with parts above itscenter of gravity for engaging said lifting devices, and dumpingprojections below its center of gravity and located at one side of thesame, a series of tilting supports having portions for engaging saiddumping projections and means for moving said supports into and out ofposition to be engaged by said dumping projections, substantially asdescribed.

7. In a traveling crane, the combination with the lifting shaft, ofmultiple lifting devices operatively connected therewith and providedwith bails, a series of receptacles each provided with projections aboveits center of gravity to be engaged by said bails and with dumpingprojections below its center of gravity, a series of slidable bars,tilting supports depending from said bars, and having hook shapedportions for engaging said dumping projections and means forsimultaneously moving said bars and supports into and out of operativeposition with respect to saidlifting devices and receptacles,substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JAMES MCCOY, Witnesses:

E. WALTER Banwmoron, HENRY S. BREWINGTON.

